Necktie holder and press



Sept. 7, 1954 KERBY 2,688,200

NECKTIE HOLDER AND PRESS Filed Aug. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l H 2 ALEXA/V050 XE/QBX 7.7m, am ik A. KERBY NECKTIE HOLDER AND PRESS Sept. 7, 1954 Filed Aug. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II II m m Z3 M 0 A A N m V. LB A Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to necktie holders and particularly to four-in-hand holders which operate to press the ties while storing them in spaced relationship to each other.

The present invention is particularly suited for storing ties in luggage although it is not especially limited for such purpose. There is a definite problem, however, in storing neckties in luggage in that the ties become wrinkled and are difficult to maintain in orderly arrangement.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which will solve the aforesaid problem and in addition will operate to press ties during storage.

Briefly, the invention includes a plurality of spacing leaves or layers between which the ties may be laid. The leaves are approximately onefourth the length of a tie, wherefore each tie is first doubled and is then laid between adjacent leaves with the protruding portions folded backwardly against the outer face of the bottom leaf. Thus when two or more ties are placed between different leaves, all of the projecting folded portions are laid against each other, the innermost one being laid directly against the back face of the bottom leaf, and then the unit is inserted into a housing which has a close fitting relationship therewith, so that the pressure which is incident to the close fitting engagement with the housing operates to maintain the ties in flattened condition and operates additionally to press the ties in the region where the knot is customarily made.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a neckwear holder embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a holder removed from the housing of Fig. 1, and showing neckwear in place therein; Fig. 4 is a side view of the unit shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 3.

A preferred form of construction embodying the present invention includes a plurality of leaves, or layers 10, which are preferably bound together along one edge by eyelets I I so that the resulting formation embodies a book-like member having leaves which are open at the top, at the bottom, and at one side. Preferably the leaves are tapered in a longitudinal direction and have a length which is substantially equal to onefourth the average length of a four-in-hand necktie. The leaves may be made of any suitable material such as sheets of cellulose acetate, and preferably all have the same area and thickness.

In use, a necktie, indicated generally at [5, is doubled upon itself and the wide portions are inserted between adjacent sheets. The projecting folded narrow half is then looped at l6 over the upper edge IT of the unit and is laid against the outer face I8 of the bottom sheet, such overlaid portion being indicated at I9 in Fig. 4. Assuming that one or more neckties are placed between their respective sheets and are folded, as aforesaid, then the unit is slid endwise into a hollow housing 20 which is shown as being endless in cross-sectional formation and as having a shape complementary to that of the leaves Ill. Thus, upon insertion of the unit into the housing the top and bottom portions 22 and 23 thereof exert pressure against the interior unit which operates to smooth out wrinkles in the neckties and operates additionally to hold them satisfactorily in stored arrangement therein.

An advantage of the present invention is the fact that the complementary shaped relationship between the inner unit and the housing operates to hold the neckties securely in place.

I claim:

1. A device for storing and pressing neckties, comprising a book-like inner member, the leaves of which comprise flexible material having substantially parallel top and bottom edges and having tapered longitudinal edges whereby the member is wider at one end than at the other, means for binding said leaves together along one of the longitudinal edges, the leaves having a width greater than the width of a necktie and having a length substantially equal to one-fourth the length of a necktie, whereby the neckwear may be folded in half with the free ends thereof inserted between two of said leaves and the folded end bent over and around the narrow end of said member, and an outer housing having open ends and having front and back sides which are connected along longitudinal edges, said housing constituting an envelope into which said member and neckwear may be inserted, the sides of said housing being tapered complementary to those of the inner member whereby the tapered interfitting engagement between the inner and outer members creates suflicient pressure to hold the neckwear and press it while it is held in assembled position.

2. A device for storing and pressing neckties according to claim 1, wherein the binding means constitute spaced eyelets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,296,017 Smith Mar. 21, 1919 1,611,120 Looney Dec. 14, 1926 1,683,255 Mortenson et al. Sept. 4, 1928 2,446,733 Abbe Aug. 10, 1948 2,488,973 Hall Nov. 22, 1949 

